The Blue Mountains Music Festival of Folk, Roots And Blues (BMMF) returns in 2016 on March 18, 19 and 20 for its 21st year with two extraordinary internationally renowned female performers headlining – Rhiannon Giddens and Mary Black, and Frazey Ford now added to the line-up.
Known as a founding member of the beloved alt-folk band The Be Good Tanyas, Ford returned last October with her second solo effort, Indian Ocean, a lush album filled with songs about love, contrition and being bold.
Part of what gives Indian Ocean its gilded edge is the work of Al Green’s band, The Hi Rhythm Section, the iconic architects of the famous singer’s instrumental Memphis soul sound. Many consider Indian Ocean one of the top releases of 2014, an acclaimed country soul gem that invited comparisons to Cat Powers The Greatest.
Rhiannon Giddens, former lead singer of African-American Folk interpreters Carolina Chocolate Drops will be appearing with her new band. One of the brightest rising stars in music today, Rhiannon Giddens, undoubtedly stole the show at the T Bone Burnett–curated Another Day, Another Time concert—a celebration of the early ’60s Folk revival at New York City’s Town Hall.
BMMF is also thrilled to be presenting legendary Irish singer Mary Black on her ‘Last Call’ Australian tour, as she brings the curtain down on her overseas touring. For over a quarter of a century, Mary Black has been a dominant presence in Irish music, both at home and abroad. Black has released 11 studio albums all of which achieved platinum sales status and spawned countless hits. She has shared stages, TV shows and recording studios with some of the most revered performers of her time. Joining her on the tour and at the festival is her very talented daughter Róisín O, who is beginning to make waves in the vibrant Irish folk scene herself.
The 21st BMMF will be presenting a record number of international artists from nine different countries; you’ll be able to experience twenty-two outstanding acts from Ireland, Canada, Gambia, Fiji, Japan, United States, Scotland, Greece ( Crete ) and Italy.
Take the opportunity to hear some of the world’s finest newer performers like the hip Irish band Moxie, violin innovator Jaron Freeman-Fox from Canada, Fijian funkster Knox and his band The Young’uns from the UK, Juno folk award winners The Once from Canada, their fellow Canadian, roots and reggae act Buckman Coe, Japanese ravers Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro and striking newcomer Z-Star from the UK.
Also featured over the weekend are Colin Hay with his new Cuban band, Luka Bloom, Kutcha Edwards, Shellie Morris, Steve Poltz, BBC folk award winners Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, The Rambling Boys, the Cretan lute and percussion duo Xylouris White, Truckstop Honeymoon, Gambian music trio Jaaleekaay, guitar duo Tony McManus and Beppe Gambetta, new indigenous quartet Yarwah, Dave Gunning, the gypsy jazz of La Mauvaise Reputation, Anne McCue, Mzaza, The Beez, David Spry, The Rumjacks, Matty T Wall, The Morrisons, Kaurna Cronin, The Raglins, King Curly, The Child Ballads, The Sadie Sisters and the Wagana Dancers.
As well as all this music, there will be the Heartlands Conversation, the Poets’ Breakfasts, children’s entertainment and activities, and of course a vast array of food and craft stalls.
2016 BLUE MOUNTAINS MUSIC FESTIVAL LINE-UP
ANNE McCUE
BIG RORY & OCHIE
BUCKMAN COE (CA)
CIRCUS SOLARUS
COLIN HAY and his Cuban band
DAVE GUNNING (CA)
DAVID SPRY
FRAZEY FORD (CA)
JAALEEKAAY (Gambia)
JARON FREEMAN-FOX & The Opposite of Everything (CA)
JOHN McCUTCHEON (US)
KAURNA CRONIN
KAY PROUDLOVE
KING CURLY
KNOX (FJ)
KUTCHA EDWARDS
LA MAUVAISE REPUTATION
LUKA BLOOM (IRE.)
MARY BLACK (IRE.)
MATTY T WALL
MOUNTAIN MOCHA KILIMANJARO (Japan)
MOXIE (IRE.)
MZAZA
PHILLIP HENRY & HANNAH MARTIN (UK)
RAMBLING BOYS (IRE.)
RHIANNON GIDDENS (US)
RÓISÍN O (IRE.)
SHELLIE MORRIS
SKYE MUSTAFA
SNAIL
STEVE POLTZ (US)
THE ARCADE CIRCUS
THE BEEZ (DE)
THE CHILD BALLADS
THE CLEANING LADIES
THE MORRISONS
THE ONCE (CA)
THE RAGLINS
THE RUMJACKS
THE TRUCKSTOP KIDS (US)
THE WAGANA DANCERS
THE YOUNG’UNS (UK)
TONY McMANUS & BEPPE GAMBETTA (Scot/Italy)
TRUCKSTOP HONEYMOON (US)
XYLOURIS WHITE (CRETE/AUS)
YARWAH
Z STAR (UK)